Demons of Deltora: Plagues of Decay
by Streak9
Summary: Something is awakened deep within Deltora, that has been since the beginning of time. The first of five, bringing with it a plague of death and decay, haunts the king's dreams and poisons the city of Del. It is up to Deltora's next generation to save them
1. The New Enemy

_Yay, it's another Deltora Quest fanfic, but this one is different, it comes with spandex! (Enjoy with caution.) Honestly, even I will agree that the whole basis for the plot came out maybe a bit too suddenly at the very beginning, but meh, I'm satisfied. Also, as always, I don't own any small bit of Deltora, not even in my wildest dreams. Except for Barda and Lindal's kids, as follows:_ _Talia, Rolf, Sierra, Jack, Harper, and Scout._

_But let's get on with the show!_

**Demons of Deltora: Plague of Decay  
****The New Enemy**

Jasmine stood to the side of her father, Doom, as Endon, Jared, and Anna talked and played with their friends in the courtyard. By now, both boys had reached teenagerhood, their sister a year older. She smiled and put her head on Doom's shoulder. "Precious, aren't they?" Doom said cooly, stroaking his daughter's hair.

She smiled, her black hair was as dark as ever. "Yes. I'm glad they haven't lived to see the Shadow Lord." Jasmine's face darkened, and Doom nodded. "Perhaps he's.. given up?" He smiled as the sun passed out from under a cloud and basked him in light. He put a hand over his eye, watching Anna, shouting, chasing after Jarred.

"How is Lief these days?" he looked at her. "Oh he's as busy as ever, but affairs are finally settling down after the harvest." Doom nodded. Jasmine got up, patting Doom on the shoulder, as much affection as she was willing to show. "I'll see you later." She smiled to herself, and turned as he raised an eyebrow in amusement. Doom simply looked back to the children, running and laughing. "Play well, children. You needn't think of the Shadow Lord's eyes and ears, always everywhere. "He got up, and strode past a Guard, who watched him curiously until he vanished around the corner.

----------

The grey tide lay, cracked and dry, on the plains of Hira. An evil aura flowed from it, and no one ventured near it, no matter what the reason. It killed the rats, it killed the birds, it killed the plants. The city was mess of ruins, barely poking out from below the dried ooze. But now, something sealed away long ago beneath it, was awakening.

A blood-red light radiated from the deep below the ground, in slow succession, four orbs of incandescent red light floated through the air gently. Their light illuminated the endless plain of grey, the waves of ooze frozen in time reflecting an eerie light, the four glowing orbs whirled along the breeze. Four evils from before time, before the written records of the Land of Dragons, thought to be locked away forever.

Each one more horrible than the last, one-by-one leading to the last, a creature that should have been sealed away forever. But, through the slaying of the Four Sisters, the grey tide was unleashed, but it, in turn, had opened a gate to something that even the Shadow Lord had never dreamed of, who he paled in comparison to. It had been waiting all these years, brooding, unlocking its chains, and finally, it was free.

The four spheres of light flowed through the land, past Tora, through Broome, into the streets of Rithmere, over the River Del, and finally Del, and here, the first separated from the others, drifting through the silent streets and alleys, unnoticed.  
The first sphere slipped through a crack under the rubble blocking the opening of the chapel's pit, faintly, a glow filtered through the gaps in the debris, and then there was nothing. Then, suddenly, cracks spread across the floor, snaking like a web.

Tiny bits of rock tumbled from the ceiling of the now-unused chapel, and a pale green-colored, claw burst from the rubble. There was a low hiss, and for just a moment, in the dust, two glowing green eyes flashed, and were gone.

----------

" 'Night, Dad." Anna smiled and Lief leaned down and kissed her forehead, and turned back toward the door, blowing out the candle on her dresser and shutting her door quietly. Jasmine waited for him, smiling at him, he kissed her for a moment and then stood back. "I'll be to bed in a little bit. Your father has something he wants to tell me about." Jasmine nodded. "Good night." Lief smiled at her. "Good night."

Doom looked up at Lief as he arrived, and he sat down at the table and folded his hands. Doom immediately got up and bowed before adressing him. "Lief, it is good to see you. I'm sure you've probably already heard about the great harvest all around your kingdom?" Lief laughed lightly, and nodded "Of course, the harvests are good, and the friends are many." Lief seriously doubted that Doom had called him here so late to address the great harvest. "What is on your mind, old friend?"

"It's just - perhaps I am finally becoming old and senile, but, I can't shake the uneasy feeling I'm getting. I can't help but think there must be something on the horizon." Doom leaned forward, putting his own hands together. "Doom.." Lief raised an eyebrow, and Doom furrowed his brow as he saw a smile play on his lips. "You really must learn to relax, really. Every month you have a new feeling, didn't you already tell me that the crops weren't looking well? That they were failing? Well, you just told me yourself that is not so."

Lief reached forward to pat him on the shoulder as Doom grumbled to himself, and was about to continue, but just then, a garrison of guards ran hurriedly past the open door to the chamber. Lief slowly looked at Doom, and they both got up in unison and pushed in their chairs, running into the hallway to follow the guards.

"Barda, what's happening?" Barda glanced behind him as Lief, with Doom in tow, walked up to him, they were at the door of the chapel, which Lief had sealed shortly after the Fourth Sister had been destroyed, and had had a team of Ralad builders create a new one on the opposite side of the palace. Now, the brick wall he had had built was lying in ruins.

"I don't know, something knocked down the wall and several servants heard it and came running!" Lief raised an eyebrow, exchanging glances with Doom. "Do you think - ?" Barda looked at them quizzically. "Could someone have found the secret way into the palace and broken down the wall, or could something else have been down there?" Very few knew of the secret tunnel under the walls besides the royal family, its advisors, and the captain of the guards, who was Barda.

"Sir!" A guard came out of the room and bowed briefly towards Lief, and addressed Barda. "It's all clear, sir! But - ." Barda growled "Out of my way!" And strode into the chamber, Doom following him, with a quick shrug, Lief entered last. The room looked the same as the day he had sealed it, besides the fact that there was a strange green mist flowing across the floor of the room, and the rubble blocking the pit itself had collapsed inward.

Lief quietly inched towards the area where the removable tile was located, and scoured his foot across the floor, and found nothing. This gave no guarantee that it hadn't been opened, but it helped ease his fears. "What's with the mist?" He walked up behind Barda, who had been kneeling by the open pit with Doom. "I haven't a clue." Barda turned to a nearby guard. "Korin! Report?" The guard, who had been examining the chapel with awe, turned to him and tried to hide his surprise.

"Don't know, sir. When you ordered us all here, the wall was gone, the pit was open, and this green smoke was spilling out of the whole place. But it does seem to be coming from the pit, sir." Barda nodded, glancing at Lief. "At ease, Korin." He turned back to Lief and Doom. "Well, I guess we know where we're going to be looking." Lief looked over into the pit with dread. "Well, I just say - ."

There was a horrified gasp as the previous guard, Korin, backed away from another guard, who was bent over in pain over the floor. The second guard let out a scream and fell to his knees, tearing off his helmet and vomiting blood upon the floor in a single, sickening motion. "By the gods, Korin!" Doom grabbed Barda's shoulder and held him back.

The guard choked, dropping on to his stomache and turning on his back, clutching horribly at the air, he wheeze, writhing upon the floor, his eyes rolling back in his head, until he finally stilled, his head lolling to the side. Lief fell back against the wall, putting a hand over his stomach, fighting back nausea at the sight. Barda ran forward and kneeled down beside him, pressing two fingers to his neck, unnatural green veins ran across the guard's body, snaking across his face. "So he's dead, just like that."

Barda got up and stumbled backwards, a mask of horror on his face. "Loren, get me - ." But he couldn't finish, because just then another guard bent forward, writhing in pain. Lief averted his eyes and another guard fell before the second could even finish his seizures. Korin and the other guards simply abandoned the room, another falling in the hallway. Doom, fearing for his King, briskly ushered both him and Barda out. And Lief was relieved to be free of both the green mist and the lifeless bodies of the guards.

Lief looked up as hurried footsteps echoed down the hall, and Jasmine appeared around the corner, clinging to a pink nightdress. Lief moved to stop her, but she ran to the door of the chapel, her fascination turning to horror. She gagged and turned away, bending over in disgust. "Oh, god! Oh - what is that?"

Jasmine stumbled forward, bracing herself on the wall, trying to regain her composure. "Jasmine, you're supposed to be back in bed!" Lief tried to push the guards' deaths out of his mind, his anger towards Jasmine coming out of worry towards Jasmine, for she had now come in contact with whatever had killed the guards in that room. "I'm sorry, I heard a scream, and I just - ." She swallowed and regained her usual proud posture.

"I'm sorry." She repeated, straightening the bottom of her nightdress idly. "It's alright." Lief wanted to leave this place as soon as possible, there was a smell of decay in the air, whether it was the guards' rotting bodies or the mist spilling into the hallway, he couldn't tell which, and didn't care to find out. Lief's gaze lingered on the mist, and his eyes widened. "Let's go. Barda, I want something put up to stop the mist spilling into the rest of the palace.." Barda looked at him in confusion, and he too, seemed to realize what must be true.

The mist was the cause of whatever had happened to the guards, and the very horrible truth was, that all four of them and almost the entire staff of royal guards had been exposed, and were potentially infected.

_The Enemy is clever and sly, to its anger and envy a thousand years is like the blink of an eye.._

The phrase from _The Belt of Deltora _suddenly floated into his mind, and it made him wonder as he put an arm around Jasmine and they moved back into the corridors of the palace. Could this be the Shadow Lord's doing, could this mist have been planted by him to be released after the death of the Sisters, if perhaps the Grey Tide failed? But it had been nearly fifteen years since his last attack, longer than it had ever been before, there were now many who didn't even know the Shadow Lord existed.

It didn't add up, why now? But Lief couldn't help but think that there was something on the horizon..


	2. The Plague

_Oh, sweet mercy, it's another chapter! Surprised? Well, if you aren't, then I'm even more surprised than I already am! XD_

**Demons of Deltora:****  
The Plague  
**

Flames licked at the sky, reaching towards the stars as six men lay as fire slowly enveloped them, releasing their souls to the other side. Lief stood to the side, his hands folded, his brow creased in thought. Jasmine walked over to him, putting an arm around him. "The guards have been laid to rest in the way that they wished; they are now free to roam in the heavens." She looked up into the sky, the stars twinkling back at her.

The funeral was private, for Lief, upon the insistence of Doom, had decided to keep the plague a secret from the general public, even their families, at least for now. No one was allowed to leave the palace, and he, Doom. Jasmine, Barda, and the remaining half of the guards were to keep away from anyone else, and, despite Lief's protest, even his meetings with his subjects had been cancelled. The bonfire that now washed over the fallen guards took place just outside of the palace, the only time Lief had left the palace in nearly a week, and despite the tragedy, he felt relieved.

Jasmine kissed him lightly on the cheek and left him to brood with a smile. Lief sighed, forcing a smile back at her, and as soon as she was out of sight, but his chin into his hand, staring at the flames until he could still see the flickering orange and yellow. Then, there was a light chuckle from behind him, and his eyes shot open and he looked behind him instinctively, seeing an amused Doom.

"Too much paperwork for our precious King?" Lief smiled weakly, and Doom took his place on the old log next to him. Lief's eyes slid away, seeing Jasmine and Barda conversing quietly, and a couple of guards wandering aimlessly and looking out of place. Jasmine turned to look at him, and he looked away quickly, back at Doom, who was now staring intensely at the fire, which reflected ominously in his eyes.

"So, perhaps you were right, for once, Doom." Doom raised an eyebrow, breaking his stare-off with the fire to look at Lief. "About something coming." Doom laughed. "Oh, don't look at me like I've seen the future, just an old man's worries."

Lief nodded silently, and Doom was silent for a few moments. "So, do you think this is the Shadow Lord's doing?" The good humor was gone from his voice, and he was back again, gazing into the endless flames. "I don't know." His answer seemed to be swallowed up by the oppressive silence, nothing breaking it but the crackling of the funeral pyres.

"It seems too outright, too sudden and unplanned. Perhaps I'm just paranoid or not willing to accept he's really back.." He looked directly at Doom, who didn't remove his gaze from the fire. "I don't think it's him." Doom narrowed his eyes. "And that, still, begs the question, then, as to who it could possibly be?" Lief looked up at the sky. "Maybe it's natural, a new disease that just happened to incubate in the chapel? It's been closed off for years, it would have been isolated from the world, it could have mutated, or.." Doom was now looking at him, a smile playing on his lips. But then he sighed, following Lief's gazes up to the stars. "Perhaps.. You're right."

He wasn't.

* * *

Jarred looked up at the ceiling of the main hall of the palace, dressed in peasant's clothes, surrounded by angry peasants. He leaned against a marble pillar, where, so many years ago, a young man of the same name had been, as his best friend had been named King. It was that same young man who fled to the Forests of Silence and was taken to the Shadowlands, to then escape and become the leader of the Resistance, and eventually, advisor to the King.

Now, though, instead of eagerly waiting and whispering for a king to be crowned, it was full of angry townspeople, shocked to find that the King was no longer seeing them and that they were receiving no answer.

Now it was Ranesh who stood on the platform, a flustered and bewildered look upon his face, which Jarred could not help but smile at. "Please, your attention, please! I know you're all upset, just - !" He scowled, one particular man, who appeared to be from Broome, swore particularly loudly. Jarred broke out laughing and tried to hide it from those near him, but Ranesh picked him out of the crowd, having a small break in the thronging people around the pillar. He seemed to mouth something that looked like "Help me!" But Jarred just shrugged. Ranesh was less experienced with crowds since he dawdled over Marilen since the birth of Josef, and didn't let her do anything he feared might strain her, even though Josef was only a year or two younger than he and Endon.

On the stage, Ranesh, who was sweating profusely, took a deep breath and let out a mighty yell: "_Everybody shut up!!_" The throng died down almost immediately to a hushed whisper here and there, and Ranesh cleared his throat and straightened his collar. "I know you're all upset, just - ." He tried to finish but was interrupted by the man from Broome. "Yes we are! While the crop harvests are plentiful, the fishers of Broome have nothing!"

The man moved to continue, but Ranesh gave him such a fearsome glare that he thought otherwise. "As I was saying, I understand that you are all upset. But there are some grave matters that have arisen that prevent the King from seeing you." Someone piped up from near Jarred. "But what about his advisor, Doom? Or the Guard Captain?" Ranesh frowned. "King Lief has been detained, along with Doom, Captain Barda, and Queen Jasmine."

This didn't satisfy the crowd, for there were more angry murmurings. "I'm sorry I can't give you more information. I would if I could, but I can't tell you any more at this time." He took a deep breath. Then, there was a clear path of whispers across the crowd, but despite their efforts, Ranesh's keen ears picked it up. "The Shadow Lord has not returned!"

The hall went silent.

"Do not start fearful rumors! If the Shadow Lord was back, you would _know!_" Ranesh said angrily, and Jarred was sure that the same thing had occurred to him. If rumors began of the return of the Shadow Lord, the entire kingdom could be sent into an uproar. But for Ranesh to be countering it with such fury, it made Jarred actually wonder. They wouldn't even tell _him _why he couldn't see his father or mother, but he decided it better to not ask questions or interfere.

Ranesh took a deep breath, and re-opened the floor. "I will take a few question, and I will answer them _to the best of my abilities._" Ranesh had finally gained control of the crowd, and though he certainly wasn't a King Lief, the crowd seemed satisfied.

Now Jarred saw two people weaving skillfully through the crowd across the hall, and smiled. He raised his hand above the crowd and drew a glance from Ranesh on-stage but no one else seemed to notice, and soon enough, two teenagers were entering his small circle around the pillar. "Hey, Josef, you're Dad looks like he's having fun." Josef glanced uneasily at the stage, for Ranesh had clearly spotted his son in the crowd and flashed him a brief smile before continuing his interrogation from the crowd.

But their time together was short-lived, as there was a scream that echoed through the hall, and all three of them whirled around to see the source. A man was on the other side of the hall, doubled over in pain. In seconds, he was on the floor, and Jarred looked away in disgust. The man's skin was clear and defined, his skin suddenly stretched over his face to the skull, green veins slithering beneath it. It was horrible. Jarred suddenly felt a need to get out of the hall.

Josef and Endon evidently felt the same. "I'm not going to stick around to get whatever that guy's got, let's get out of here." Josef laughed half-heartedly, and they began to make there way back through the crowd, but there were more shouts screams. More people were falling down, but Jarred tried not to notice, something in the back of his mind pushed it away.

But then it started to become sheer turmoil in the crowd, people were falling over each other, writhing on the ground, and Jarred was suddenly running like he never had before. Ranesh had vanished from the stage, and Jarred barely saw him in the crowd, rushing towards his son. Josef was too busy escaping from the hall. The crowd behind them were pushing and shoving, trying to get away from the sick. There were many of them now, too many.

This wasn't natural, and Jarred knew it. But the one thought in his mind was the thought that he tried to push away. Even though he was supposed to act as if he would spring up from behind every corner, rise from every shadow, but it was almost unspeakable to him. He couldn't imagine it, all his life he had been free of it. The Shadow Lord. What if this was why his father was locked away, forbidden to all company, even his own family? He wasn't ready, he knew he wasn't. He couldn't fight the Shadow Lord, not now. His life was finally just as he wanted it. Peaceful, free, _normal_.

Now there were more people, so many that those who still were forced back into the hall were stumbling over them, all sickeningly writhing, some, Jarred was painfully aware, were dead.

What was happening?

* * *

Lief leaned back in his chair, stretching his legs and running his hands through his hair absentmindedly. He was physically and mentally exhausted, his mind a whirl of thoughts he himself had trouble sorting through. He had spent the day staring out the balcony and approving the replacements for the palace guards, even though neither he or Barda _or _Doom were allowed to leave their private quarters unless for very important reasons, of which fresh air was not.

While he stared out of the balcony or sat in his study in boredom, Jasmine fluttered in and out of different rooms. What she had found to do Lief couldn't fathom, as he was stewing in his own uselessness. He couldn't sign papers or royal letters or anything, they would be infected, and would in turn infect the messengers, infect the birds that carried them, infect any animals they came in contact with, and those who received it.

It was an endless network of ways it could spread, and Doom had orchestrated a way to avoid it all even while sitting in his own quarters, having nothing better to do than give orders and ask about the crops through a slit in the door.

But, as his two sons and Josef fled the meeting hall, Lief was experiencing problems of his own.

There was a shout from behind him, and he thought for a moment that it was Jasmine, but she wasn't even in the room with him. It came through the open door to the balcony. Standing up, he strode out and looked over the edge to see what was happening. After a moment, he folded his mouth into a thin line, and uttered one word: "Damn."

He could already see it happening, a woman had fallen over in the courtyard, and a nearby guard rushed over to help her. That was two people. Two more men came to help her up, a third to feel her pulse. Five. The first guard rushed to another guard to tell him to send news to the King. Six. Then the first guard, leaving the woman, would climb back to his post along the outer wall. With him on the walkways were six more guards. So, that made twelve. Twelve infected in the space of a minute. It was too late. It was already spreading.

Lief turned for the door to his chambers, and he heard a shout from Jasmine, "Lief?" He ignored her. He pulled open the door and the guards looked at him in surprise, putting their hands over their mouths. "King Lief, you can't - !" But he continued anyway.

How did it get out? Did a guard kiss their wife, did somebody take a breath of fresh air just a someone was passing by? There were a million ways it could have happened, but Lief couldn't think of any Doom hadn't already thought of. But the guards had let him get away easily enough, perhaps another, stupider, guard had decided to go for a stroll through the castle. Or maybe it was something else entirely, something darker, something at the moment Lief couldn't, and didn't quite want to, imagine. But he would make a note to check his guards thoroughly from now on.

He ran frantically through the halls of the palace, he could hear the guards running after him, but he doubted any of them were man enough to try and stop him. He threw open the doors to the courtyard, the doors sending a hollow boom through echoing of the walls. The guards in the courtyard immediately saw him, and knowing their orders, moved to stop him. "Sir! You can't be here! You have to stay in your quarters, you are quaranti -!" Lief shot him such a hard glance that the guard froze, and he pushed him limply out of his way.

"Your Majesty, the plague!" Lief turned on him. "Keeping me locked away isn't going to stop it! It's already out! It's spreading! The moment you touched her, you got it, and then they got it, every single person in this palace is going to be infected now if I don't -!" He was stopped in mid-sentence by a cry from the battlements, someone was shouting and pointing. Lief looked up, several guards were on walkways, watching the scene from above. One was now screaming and clutching his face, stumbling towards the edge, and in an instant, he was splattered on the ground below. Lief could only stare, and mutter one word, "Damn."

* * *

Jasmine hesitated, hearing both Lief's and their guards' footsteps retreat into the corridors of the palace. She wrung her hands, and with a breath, started running. All the guards were in the courtyard attending to the incident, and no one stopped her until she reached a courtyard. A young guard was running through the doors from the courtyard, a look of terror on his face. He looked at her for a moment, "Lady Jasmine!" He cried, just as startled to see her as she was him. She started to say something but he let out a gurgle of pain, falling against the wall and clutching her head.

Jasmine gasped, then screamed, running past the guard and towards the courtyard, she burst through the doors, but no one seemed to notice her. Several bodies were on the ground, surrounded by pools of blood, and, looking around, more were hanging from the walkways above. She gasped, clutching her hands on her heart.

Slowly aware of her, Lief turned around on the center of the courtyard, and she met his eyes in confusement and terror, just in time to see an expression of pain cross his face. He slowly moved his hands to his head, and then, his eyes bulged out of his head and he collapsed, letting out a heart-wrenching scream of agony.


	3. Source Revealed

I guess, here it is, lazy me just read the "Reply" thing on the main page, almost put me reply right here.

Demons of Deltora: Plagues of Decay

Chapter 3: Source Revealed

Jarred and Endon were leaning on the pillar, the crowd in a panicked frenzy.

Their Mother was still holding Lief's hand as he writhed and screeched.

Barda stood in grave silence as the chaos ensued, Lindal putting a hand on his shoulder.

Marilen was deep in her books, looking for anything resembling the sweeping death going through Del.

Jarred motioned to his brother, and they bustled through the frenzied crowd. He pulled his brother by his hand through the hallways.

"What the heck are you doing?"

"Just follow me!" Jarred urged, and turned a corner. The door to the chapel was down the corridor. It was completely boarded up, and Jarred strated kicking and tearing off the boards. "Let me run this past you again; _What are you doing?_" Endon asked. "I just wanna know something."

He tossed a board over his head, and ducked in. Endon followed shortly. The room seemed to be dimly lit by a light from nowhere. The center of the room had a pit which was once filled with rubble that had been scattered across the ground. Jarred leaned over the pit, and a rank smile made him double-over on his back. Endon helped him up."Watch ya' think's down there?" Endon wondered.

They heard Guards down the hall. "Guess we got to find out!"

"Wha-?"

And Jarred had been swallowed by the darkness of the pit. "Idiot, idiot, idiot!" he cannon-balled into the pit, and the echo of his fall could be heard by the Guards as they proceeded in.

Jarred was almost completely surrounded by darkness despite the circle of light from above. He heard the voices of the guards, and picked out the word "back-up" before the footsteps walked away.

"So, how do we-?" Endon paused, as Jarred turned into the darkness. The only thing that was actually visible in the darkness, and the light, was an abnormal, greenish-yellow mist.

Jarred pushed his way into the darkness, Endon following behind him cautiously. They felt nothing, but they heard a strange, dank wind blowing through the chamber.

Then suddenly behind him, Endon spat up a puddle of blood. Jarred stumbled backward, he suddenly felt unusually warm. And then he was on his knees, a puddle of red on the floor. "I feel like I'm burning up!" Endon yelled, coughing and hacking. Jarred couldn't say much different, he felt his lungs contorting as he wheezed. He clutched his chest and fell on his side.

He had been right.

This was no normal illness, whatever was causing it was in this chamber with them. And a sudden thought struck him, the smoke. The greenish mist encircling the entire chamber was the cause!

Jarred scrambled forward, lunging for Endon. "Brother, wake up!" He shook Endon violently, he looked up, coughed, and heaved on the ground. Jarred watched it slither down the old debris disgustingly slow, and held back his own churning stomach. "It's the gas, the mist in the room, some natural gas leak-." Jarred coughed and spit up more blood on the floor.

Endon got to his feet staggering, and his eyes widened in horror.

Jarred whirled around, meeting a shadow with glowing green eyes no more than a yard away from him. He yelled and ran with Endon towards the circle of light from above. I shrill scream pierced the darkness, as the mist cleared, it stepped forward. In the dimness, Jarred could make out no more than sharp-pointed ears, the same green eyes, clawed hands, and a smirk full of sharp teeth.

It opened its mouth, green gas flowing from it, from its pores. The gas was pouring out of the creature itself.

Above him, Endon clambered from the hole, scrambling onto the stone tiles. The yellow fumes had filled the room, and he coughed several more times, but turned as a figure revealed itself in the doorway to the chapel.

Jarred couldn't reach the top, his fingers slipping off the edge. He turned to the green-eyed creature, teeth glinting in the light. Then a wickedly-clawed, sickly green hand reached from the mist, the moisture from the gas making his skin shimmer. Jarred then stifled a yell as strong hands pulled him up, and the claw withdrew with a hiss.

Barda set Jarred upright, swaying, and asked immediately:

"What the heck just happened?"

Jarred responded with a splatter of vomit on Barda's Guard uniform.

"They were like this when I found them, messing around in the pit where Lief and the Topaz Dragon destroyed the Fourth Sister."

"The chapel?"

"Yes."

Doom looked concerned, but not just about his grandchildren., a great evil had planted itself in the bowels of the Palace of Del.

"What were they doing, are they okay?" Doom pursed his lips as Barda crossed his arms. "They're going on about demons, gas, and such. They just have some severe fever symptoms, they've stopped getting sick everywhere though." Barda swore under his breath, remembering his stained chain-mail jacket.

"Is there a reason they weren't, well, why they didn't die like the guards, or go into a condition such as King Lief's?"

"We don't know, Talia and Josef are with them in the infirmaries." Barda answered. "Maybe they got less of an intake of whatever caused it." He shrugged. "They were in a chamber full of mist, and we know what's causing it already. They were at the source, and it has been revealed." Doom smiled grimly, "Always stumbling blindly into trouble, just like their Father." Doom went forward, leaving Barda in the corridor over the courtyard. He looked backwards at the flowers in the sunlight.

"Just like their Grandfather.."

He turned, and walked away, leaving the courtyard silent, a strange, yellow gas seeping from the mulch below the flowers, they wilted, petals falling to the ground, as the garden became nothing but withered plants and dry soil.

Then a scream echoed through the Palace, and Barda and Doom were drawn straight back to the courtyard, Ranesh following.

Sharn stood, hands over her mouth at the Garden she had tended since the Shadow Lord had first been banished from Deltora, which had instantly turned to a withered wasteland.

"My petunias!"

Doom, as unconcerned as he should've been, looked onward in grim silence. When Barda looked back, he had vanished into the halls of the Palace.

Don't even start with anything about how late I was! I know, very, ve-ery late! I'm going to try to start working on my stories again, I'm particularly interested in this one, actually..


	4. The Mist

Okay, I know, once again, I'm almost disturbingly late on such things. I've never been very good at focusing on much except for a couple weeks, and then coming back in bits and pieces. And, I mean, it's been so long since I've updated this my writing style has changed a bit, but hey, here goes!

**Demons of Deltora: Plagues of Decay**

**The Mist**

Barda stood at the side of the pit with a handkerchief over his mouth, looking down as his guards, with special filtering masks, descended into the pit. "Find anything?" Barda moved to the door of the chamber where Doom was waiting and removed his handkerchief. "Nothing yet, no source, anything. We've never actually had a cause to explore the whole thing before, it's bigger than we ever imagined."

Doom nodded solemnly. "The King's condition also re -." Then there was a commotion from inside the pit. "Captain Barda, come here! Hurry!" Barda pressed his handkerchief hard to his mouth and sprinted down the rocks at full speed, leaving Doom behind.

As he proceeded down below, the shape of a rotten body strewn over the rocks came into view, and Barda stopped abruptly, turning away.

"By the gods!"

----------

Jarred shot up in his bed, eyes wide, sweat streaming down his neck. He felt like he was on fire, it was almost unbearable. "He's got me, he's - !" But the graceful Marilen calmed him down. "Shh, shh, shh, you've got a high fever, there's nothing there." Jarred lay back down, panting loudly. "What..?" Endon shot up on the bed next to him.

"You're in the infirmary, what happened down there?" She dabbed the sweat off of his brow in concern. "I suppose we're lucky, I don't know what happened, but compared to the others you're lucky. Your symptoms should be gone in a day or two, but then again, that may be all it lasts." Marilen smiled at him. "How are you, Endon?" He smiled weakly from another bed.

"You may be even luckier, Endon. You may be up and about by the end of the day." She smiled at him, but Jarred groaned. "Don't worry, Jarred, all in good time. I'll go get you boys some water and tell your mother you're awake, but I need to go visit Ranesh in the Library." Marilen ducked out of the room, and Jarred rolled restlessly under the white covers.

"What time is it?" Endon made a shrugging motion in his bed, he had no idea. It didn't look like it was night outside, but they could've been out for days, for all they knew. Jarred almost wished he was still asleep, even though he saw the demon of the pit every time he shut his eyes.

"What do you think that thing was?" Jarred rasped, coughing a couple times afterward. Endon knew immediately without thinking what he meant. "I dunno, the Shadow Lord could've sent him here, who knows." Endon felt a chill go down his spine, he had only heard stories of the horror and the evil of the Shadow Lord. When he had succeeded after hundreds of years to steal the Belt of Deltora from Del and scatter its gems, the quest for the Pirran Pipe, and what his Father went through in the Shadowlands, and the Four Sisters, and finally the Grey Tide, which threatened Deltora itself.

And, though they both couldn't help but think it, for it seemed to horrendous to believe. But, what if this was a new evil, completely unconnected to the Shadow Lord, perhaps even more powerful than him? But, no, that wasn't possible, this was just the Shadow Lord's newest attack on Deltora..

Right?

----------

It was dark. Or was it? There was no light. But there was also no darkness. It was all. It was nothing. But most of all, it was not home. Lief stumbled in the nothing (Everything?), and asked something, though he didn't know what, "Hello?" He heard it, but it was as if the question echoed inside his own head, but the nothing swallowed up his voice into the everything.

_WHERE AM I?!_

He screamed it in his head, but the nothing responded. A beam of red light split the nothing, going on forever in each direction, and Lief looked down at his hands. In the red light, the spatter of blood dripping down his hands fluoresced in the dark, he screamed, but no audible sound came out.

Lief looked up in horror as the beam of red light widened, cracks spread across the nothing in every direction. There were no boundaries, no physical laws, they just spread wherever they please, blood-red light oozing from them. Memories and deathly thoughts flooded his mind, and he wanted to scream, although it would be of no use, for he couldn't have heard it.

He saw the Shadow Lord, his eyes shining behind the red smoke in the tower looming over the Shadow Arena, his arms reaching out, malice emanating from it in waves. He saw Barda, back at the Forests of Silence, in the Dark, a circle with the Lilies of Life blooming brightly in the center. But glowing just as bright was the blood flowing from the wound in Barda's chest, the red light invading his thoughts and making it glow brighter than the Lilies themselves.

Lief remembered Josef, dying from a disease made by his own apprentice, Paff, the librarian he had come to know so well since he had mysteriously appeared with the _Deltora Annals_, which, themselves, led to the Pirran Pipe.

He saw every misfortune, every death, flash before his eyes, everything horrible he experienced, and they seemed to pass by for days, over and over. But then he remembered, he had defeated the Shadow Lord that day at the Arena. He had played the Pirran Pipe and they had escaped. And Barda, he had been saved by the nectar of the Lilies of Life, and so had many others along their journey. But then he remembered, they had had no nectar then, and he had simply died, and the despair washed over him again, driving him insane.

_GO. AWAY!!_

And it was all gone, and he was again alone in the dark, all alone.

It burned into his mind, chanting, over and over, until he could swear his head would explode.

Lief shot up in bed, screaming, and Jasmine leaped back with a cry. He writhed under the covers, and Jasmine wiped the tears from her eyes and tried to calm him down, and push him back into the bed. "Lief, Lief, please!" She sobbed, and Marilen ran into the room. "Lief!" She ran over to him, and consoled him until he was breathing steadily. He looked over at Jasmine and his cousin.

"The Mist, it is coming!"

His eyes rolled back in his head, and with a wheeze, he convulsed on the bed for a few seconds, and resumed his haggard sleep.

----------

Marilen walked down the hallway with a nervous stride, and Barda came gruffly from around the corner. "Marilen, how is Lief?" Marilen stopped and smiled weakly at him. "He woke up about an hour ago." Barda brightened up. "He's awake?" She shook her head sadly. "No, and, if anything, his condition is getting worse, he was spouting about mist for a minute, and that's all."

Barda raised an eyebrow at this. "Mist?" Marilen blinked. "What about it?" She sensed there was something he wasn't telling her. "Ah, nothing." He smiled softly and continued on. Marilen turned and looked after him, but continued on solemnly.

Barda continued all the way to the chapel, he pulled out a handkerchief as he entered once again. Now Doom was inside, kneeling over a body covered in a cloth, wearing no mask whatsoever. "Not worried about the sickness?" Doom started, looking up at him. "I do not fear death, it could only ease the burden." Barda bit his lip and kneeled down on the other side of the blanket. "So, we going to have a look?" Doom smiled. "Haven't we already?" And he ripped off the cover and Barda gagged.

One of the guards ran out into the corridor, choking. Doom smiled, his composure not even shaken. "See, he obviously had the sickness shortly before he died, or after, I guess. He's warm to the touch even though he's been dead for an hour and a half, his skin is constricted, with blisters across the forearms and face." Doom sounded like a professional mortician. "Done this before?" Barda said derisively. Doom paused. "A little."

He bent down and ran his bare hand along a ridged hole in the guard's chest, and Barda swallowed uncomfortably. "That, unfortunately, is not a symptom, atleast not yet." Barda would rather it wasn't. "So, what, did another guard spear him?" Doom shook his head. "I severely doubt it."

"Then what?"

And, as if to answer his question, there was a screech and something flew out of the pit and two soldiers flew backwards. "What the - ?" Doom jumped backwards, drawing his daggers. Something sickly green landed on the cobblestone floor, it turned to him with glowing green eyes, then turned into a blur and disappeared from the chamber altogether. Doom and Barda exchanged glances. "I suppose I can guess _that_?"

_Well, again, I'm sorry I took so bloody long to update. And, honestly, I've never been very good at that, but I'm trying to catch up with all my stories. But I hoped you enjoyed this chapter. :D_


	5. Poison

_Okay, too many unfinished stories, and I _finally_have enough time to get them done once and for all and start even more, and, ofcourse, Demons of Deltora is included in that list. And I promise, for reals this time:D_

**Demons of Deltora**  
**Poison**

"Send out an alert, everyone has to stay inside until further noted!" Barda roared, exiting the chapel, looking both ways for the creature that had launched itself from the pit. Three of his men were groaning with wicked scratches across their stomaches. "Send all of them to the infirmary, if they start getting sick.." he didn't finish his sentence, and the guard's suddenly forgot their pain as their faces twisted up in fear.

"Bar off the Palace and city gates, this thing isn't going anywhere." Doom walked up beside him. "So, do you think the Shadow Lord is back?" Barda looked at him silently, as guards rushed past him. "I don't know, it has to be him, there couldn't be anyone else." Barda stared at him for a moment, and then hurried down the hallway, leaving Doom behind, staring after him, deep in thought.

----------

Endon whirled around as shouts rose above the noise in the Del marketplace. "Everyone get into your houses, on the King's orders! Please stay inside until further notice, there is no need to be alarmed!" There were shouts and protests as the guards marched through the crowd, pushing people aside and shouting in their ears. "Please, get back in your homes! It is for your safety!"

A teenaged boy broke away from his mother, who cried out and reached for him, but he ran forward and tossed a sharp rock at one guard, who wasn't wearing a helmet. It struck him on his brow and he stumbled backwards, and was caught by another guard. The three others around him came forward, glaring sharply in the boy's direction. Endon's eyebrows were raised.

The crowd had never struck out at the guards before, just because they want them to go back into their homes? If only Endon could tell them the true danger they were in, then maybe they would have listened! He swallowed and tried to stumble through the crowd, nobody seemed to recognize him. But before he could manage to do anything, there was a deafening rumble from somewhere behind him. And at once he realized what it was.

The palace gates were slowly closing, people were shouting and screaming. Many were starting to realize something was happening and were gathering their family in fear and setting off through the alleys, while just as many started charging towards the small squad of guards with terrible ferocity, and he saw them disappear into the side streets, and the mob quit trying to squeeze in after them.

But only a minute later, there was another large grating sound and Endon turned again, his eyes widening, he pushed through to near the front of the crowd, standing on his tip-toes. There, the outer gate was now closing, two guards clearly visible cranking in the chain, and more rocks were quickly thrown. Endon was now in a panic, even though he knew exactly what was going on. But he was all alone, trapped outside the palace, and trapped inside the city.

He would have to find some guards or try to find his way back to the forge, but now he was lost and confused, being thrown this way and that. Endon was afraid he'd be recognized as the King's son, but he couldn't imagine anyone being so mad they would harm a child, even if he was the son of the King, which many of them didn't seem to be in a great mood with. He glanced to his side as someone ran past him in long robes, chattering fearfully to their companion. "Why would the King be doing this? Could it really be that the Shadow Lord was back?" The rumor rebounded around the square, whispered among the villagers he passed as he sought to escape the mob, so that Endon began to wonder himself.

Had the Shadow Lord returned to Deltora?

Endon abhorred the thought, and yet still found himself excited and fascinated for it. He had grown up with stories of the Shadow Lord's evil, of his Jasmine, Barda, and his father's adventures to stop him. The quest for the seven gems, the search for the Pirran Pipe, and the extermination of the Four Sisters. There were always people talking about the Shadow Lord, and very few believed he had gone. But was he back, now? Even as Endon thought about, he wasn't sure he could stand up to it. Could he ever be as brave as his father, the Great King, was?

But as he was contemplating this, he saw a tuft of orange hair bob above the crowd, and he raised his eyebrows as a shout of joy broke out in the square. Several people glanced over as a Ralad pushed his way through the crowd and flung his arms around Endon, squeezing unbelievably hard for a being of his size. "Endon! How good it is to see you!" Endon looked around nervously. "Ssh!" The Ralad stared at him, but assumed he must have a good reason, so he dutifully followed Endon.

He finally broke free of the crowd, turning down a couple of alleys away from the marketplace before he turned to the Ralad. "Manus! What are you doing here?" The Ralad grinned broadly, raising up a basket of lush, purple and blue vegetables Endon had never seen before. "We have had another excellent harvest, and I haven't been to Del in atleast two years. You keep growing, Endon. I miss the days while you and your brother were still smaller than me." They both laughed, but Manus' smile faded,

"Endon, what is happening? The people are in a panic, and the gates, they've been closed! Del never closes its gates!" He frowned, his small eyes full of worry. "If my father was able, they probably wouldn't be, no matter what the reason." Manus raised his eyebrows. "Wait, Lief isn't - ?" Endon stopped him, laughing nervously. "No, but he has fallen ill with a plague that is sweeping Del."

This worried Manus further. "Is he alright? Oh - last time this happened.." He paced back and forth, and Endon couldn't bare to see his father's old friend like this, he patted him on the shoulder. "Come on, let's take a walk." Endon smiled weakly, and Manus tried to do the same. Endon took a breath, Marilen had strictly told him not to tell anyone, but Manus wasn't anything, he was practically family.

"There's something in the castle, Manus. I don't know what, but there's.. something there. It's evil, and it's causing all the sickness in Del, I know it, and - !" Manus calmed him down. "So, what, is there some other sort of sister, or..?" Endon shook his head. "It's much more alive than I think that the Sisters were, I wasn't the one around, but.. It's some sort of demon!" He shut his eyes, thinking of his father and wishing how much that it all wasn't happening.

Manus looked at him, forming his mouth into a line. "Isn't there another way into the castle? Didn't Lief get in there some way?" He scratched his head, and Endon shook his head in hopelessness. "I can't remember, something about a bear! Our father tried to teach it to us, and I always was so horrible at it, and after all this time.." He hung his head, and Manus patted his back, digging into his wicker basket. "Here, have a Golgum, it'll cheer you up." He tried to smile, and Endon took the fruit.

He bit into it, smiling a little, which made Manus smile. It was bittersweet, with an odd, earthy taste to it, and he would have to remind Manus for seconds after all this was resolved. If it was. He tried not to think that way, and nodded at Manus. "Let's go see if we can find one of Barda's guards." Endon nodded, and they headed off.

----------

Jasmine sat against a wall outside of the room where Lief was resting, he had been chanting in his sleep, waking up periodically in wild panics that had gotten so bad that he had scratched Marilen across her cheek and she had finally decided that it would be better if Jasmine went outside, and she had left Anna to go off on her own to be with her friends. Jasmine had no idea how she was feeling, and her sons had both managed to get themselves killed. And neither Barda nor her father would tell her how.

Suddenly, a shadow arched over the floor in front of her, and she glanced upwards, the sun from the window made the figure a silhouette, but he stepped out of the light, shining over the tanned face of her father. "Hey." Was all he said. There was an awkward silence between them for several minutes, for she had nothing, and she didn't really feel like saying anything.

"So, I assume that you aren't in the mood for talking?" Doom said, his voice ringing out in the silence like thunder, strangely, startling her. Jasmine looked up at him, and sighed. He was smiling, a bittersweet smile, and she suddenly felt like screaming at him, pounding him, doing every horrible thing she could for him leaving her alone in the Forests of Silence, for being a jerk, all of his shady and mysterious crap that she put up with on a daily basis. And yet she loved him, and simply slid her head back down between her knees, staring at the floor.

"I'm sorry. I'm simply - you remind me of your mother." Doom paused, looking towards the window at the end of the hallway. "When the Grey Guards took her away, she did exactly what you did, she sat there as soon as we arrived at the Shadow Arena, curled up in a ball." Jasmine dug her nails into her knees, why was he telling her all this? She had no desire to know it and never had.

"She didn't eat for, maybe it was three days, and the Guards - Well, it was a mistake, they decided that she was no use, and they took her - took her to - ." His voice cracked, and he tried to hide it, turning and clearing his throat. "It's just, Jasmine, that - ."

"So, are you finally going to tell me what happened to Jarred and Endon?" She had had enough of the topic, both saddened and something bordering being sickened at her father's rare display of emotion. But Doom seemed to be considering his next comment. "They got sick, as I'm sure you aware. They - ." He paused, scratching his chin, on which he had been attempting to grow a beard, though Jasmine had thought it silly from the beginning. "There's a creature - ."

But before he could say anything more, there was hysterical shouting from the end of the corridor, and now Jasmine looked up, there was another silhouette at the end of the hallway, and, as if on cue, the sun passed behind the cloud and the silhouette disappeared. Anna stood there, her blonde hair framing her face ruffled from running, stood with a sad and worried look on her face. Doom started saying something, but then Anna started talking a mile a minute.

"ThegatesclosedmomtheyareclosingthegatetheyarenotsupposedtoaretheyIamso - " Jasmine stood up, walking over to her and stooping down to see her face. "Calm down, what happened?" She swallowed, trying not to loose her composure. "Mom, they closed the palace gate! They've never done that before!" Jasmine straightened up, they hadn't closed the palace gates before, ever. King Lief had made sure his palace was always open to anyone who seeked aid, even if it meant being open to potential assassin. And he had ordered it closed, and when confined to bed, he couldn't have.

"Anna, go on, I will catch up." She said sternly. Anna looked as if she would argue, but she bit her lip and turned and ran down the hall, Jasmine moved to follow after her after he footsteps receded, but she stopped next to Doom. "You, you ordered the gates to be closed." Doom frowned. "I was trying to tell you, me and Barda - !" Jasmine snarled. "Barda! If he had a hand in this, I will - I will - !" Doom reached for her, but she stepped away from him, enraged. "Jasmine.." He took a step towards her, and she slapped him across the face.

"The gates don't close, they haven't closed since the Shadow Lord. Are you trying to act like the Enemy, Doom? Lief would have left the gates open if he had _anything_ to say in the matter." Doom looked at the floor. "So that's what you're angry about, what Lief would've wanted?" Jasmine turned and stormed away.

"_Shut up!!_"

Doom stood by himself for a moment, rubbing his cheek where his skin now glowed red. "No." He answered Jasmine's question, looking out the window, talking to no one in particular. Remembering when another woman had slapped him in the same way on the first night in the Forests of Silence..

---------

He was here, again. Like he had been, it was always the same place since the first dream. The Mist. The endless green mist, it was everywhere, it was always everywhere. He was always aware of stone beneath his feet and shapes in the distance, that could easily have been just beyond the mist. But he was never able to reach it, he never would. And what must be a sun barely illuminating the world around him.

Lief was dreaming, he was completely aware that he was dreaming. When awake, his mind was muddled, confused, and he was overwhelmed by the burning sickness. But here, he was as calm and collected as he had ever been, and, on the Belt of Deltora, the ruby paled pink. There was a low cackling that echoed across the mist, and he ignored it.

"Are you going to stop being a coward and show yourself?" But what was he going to see? Was the Shadow Lord invading his dreams? But that seemed impossible, and yet, he could be implanting death in the mind of those he affected, or was the magic too great, even for the Shadow Lord? Lief just couldn't convince himself it was true, and yet it still made sense. No, he was being paranoid, and still, and still, and still...

Now. The unearthly cackle rose into a steady roar of laughter, that seemed to come from all directions. "So, King, you want to see me?" This was different. But he laughed defiantly. "I want to see the man who is poisoning my people!" And it laughed again. "Oh, King, really? Poison? (That's for rats!) That is such a sneaky and underhanded way to kill. It insults us. (Do you want to die?) We just call upon the Mist, it is all around you, as plain as blood spilling on marble. (Hehehe!)" Whatever or whoever this was, it was clearly insane, for it seemed to be talking to itself. "The Mist? Really! Then why do I live, answer me this! I am clearly fine!"

There was more hysterical laughter. "Fine? Really? You sure don't seem to be recovering well to me!" Lief growled, well aware of his physical condition outside of this dream world. "That's not what I meant! I stand here, and it doesn't harm me, or am I truly invincible in my own dreams?!" He turned around, looking in all directions. "That is not the Mist." It said monotonously, and Lief found himself becoming frustrated. "Then what are you babbling about? Why do you keep bringing me here?" There was a brief chuckle.

"Because, dear King, We have control over your life. Are you in such a hurry to die? (_Yes, yes, _kill_ him!_) For we would be very gracious to do so. (_I want his soul!_)" Lief shuddered, stumbling backwards. He was unsure of exactly what was happening, but he was beginning to fear the second personality. "It is a taunting idea. (_Yessss…_) We have no further use for you, for we are starting the demolition of your palace very soon. (Very soon!) And what greater torture is there than loosing the one you love?" Lief stumbled backwards, gasping, suddenly unable to breath.. "You monster! Who are you? Show yourself!" The laughter, echoeing all around him.

Then, the mist began to clear, splitting in two as if being cut by a knife. He ran forward, looking around wildly. Ahead, there was an arch made of black stone, and he stopped at it, the letters were almost worn away, reading: "**The Gravestones of Del." **He had never constructed anything by any such name, was this a projection of somewhere else, had the Shadow Lord built this to torture him further? Or was this an illusion created by whatever it was that was called the Mist?

Lief walked, then ran, forward, a growing unrest settling on his mind. What was he so afraid of? He stopped in the very center, surrounded by a circle of granite angels and capricorns. One Capricorn was playing a trumpet, whose bell had cracked and nearly fallen off, and Lief noticed, his eyes seemed to have been worn away, or were there ever any at all?

He didn't bother to read the plaque, but he decided to walk down the aisle of tombstone obelisks next to it, and these he did read as he passed. "Sterm, Brannik, Korin, Brid, Wergelund.." He stopped, breathing hard. They were all palace guards! Lief sucked in a breath, looking around him. He ran all the way down to the end of the obelisks and stopped, there was a marble platform with the visage of a wild horse standing on its hind legs, kicking at the air. And with growing horror, he read the plaque below:

"**Barda: A Guard Captain, Father, and True Hero**"

Lief fell to his knees, letting out a deep sob. He tried to calm himself, shaking his head back and forth. It wasn't real he knew it wasn't, it was an illusion, he was still dreaming, _he was still dreaming!_ There was laughter from above, and he fell back on his hands as there stood a horrible image. It was a pale, murky green, with thin, twisted limbs that ended in short, wicked claws. Its head was bald with oversized, pointed ears, glowing green eyes, a mouth full of sharp teeth, and two flaring nostrils where a nose should have been. Its entire body was thin and spindly, and it looked as if it should have barely been able to walk, but it gazed at Lief triumphantly. But, worst of all, the green mist was drawn to it, stretching down from the sky to create an aura around him.

It simply pointed, and he turned around, though he didn't do it of his own will, almost knowing what he would see. An enormous headstone dominated everything, blocking out all of the rest of the graveyard, but upon it, in giant letters, was "**Jasmine: From Forest Girl to Queen**." Lief gasped, standing up and stumbling away. "Why are you doing this to me?" He screamed, looking up at the creature, but instead of tears, there was fire. The demon smiled, its sharp teeth glinting in the half-light.

"You asked, dear King, of the Mist. We are the Mist." Shivers slid down Lief's spine, for instead of one voice, there was clearly two. But the Mist, swirling around him, exploded towards him, forming into a hand, but behind the mist, he could still see two glowing, green eyes, mocking him. But, before it seemed the mist could engulf him, the dream world was gone.

But this time, he didn't wake up.

----------

Jasmine walked on to the balcony looking over the courtyard of the palace, her mouth folded in a thin line as she took in the sight in front of her. The gates were clearly shut tight, but that may have been the least of her worries. Those who were visiting the castle from the city were now locked inside, thronging into the courtyard and shouting in outrage, many of which who had come, just minutes before, from delivering flowers and good will to their ailing King.

Anna and a few palace servants who had been drawn by the noise watched on in silent worry. Jasmine leaned forward and put her chin in her hands, thinking pensively. But just then, the door opened in the room behind her, and there was a familiar face, and yet, she had to scream at him. "Jasmine!" Barda smiled lightly, but he was answered by an even louder, but somewhat angrier "_Barda!!_" Barda, somewhat confused, was taken back when Jasmine punched him in the face.

"This is all your fault! You had to close the gate, just listen to whatever my father tells you - !" Barda furrowed his brow. "Doom had no part in my decision, the creature cannot - ." Jasmine flung her arms out angrily. "What, what, is there a demon in the palace, hmm, Barda?" As if in answer to her question, there was a piercing scream from the courtyard from below the balcony. Barda straightened up, immediately recognizing the voice of his own daughter. "Talia!"

Barda swiftly moved to the balcony, and for a second, he thought that she was looking for him, but then she pointed, and he followed her gaze. But Jasmine followed it quicker, but even as she heard Barda gasp, she spun around as the door to the room flew open again, this time it was Marilen, and Jasmine raised her eyebrows, it was becoming a party. But her mood changed as she saw the tears in Marilen's eyes. "Jasmine! Oh, its Lief – Lief, he's.." She started to continue, but then her eyes widened in shock and exclaimed "By the waters of the River Tor!" Marilen breathed.

Jasmine, her mind spinning, turned once more to the palace gates. And there, standing tall on top of it, three dead guards sprawled out around him horrifically, was a pale green creature with pointed ears. A green mist swirled around him like an aura, reaching up into the sky. "And so, we begin! Our rule over Deltora!" It cocked its head to the side, and Jasmine's heart leaped, for it seemed to be looking at her. "Starting, with your precious city!"

Now the gaseous mist floating around it shot into the air, swirling and twisting, and for a moment, she was sure that something was inside the abstract shapes of the mist, a dark face, but she shook it out of her mind, because it sounded absurd. And yet, as green tendrils of the green smoke shot upwards in the air, it was like the mist itself was alive. But instead of going for her, or more guards, or any of the people in the courtyard, it arched over to the other side of the gat, into the city, and there was nothing she could do.

_Okay, okay, a bit more of an emotional chapter, a bit more than I would have liked, but, as I said before, I've changed my writing style a bit, and it somehow seems to have suddenly changed dramatically just since the last chapter. Maybe from all those philosophy books. Also, please don't kill me for Lief, since I'm sure you can guess. Now, it is _exactly_ what it looks like, but it's also not what it looks like, so please, don't go crazy on me._


	6. Fallen

_Took me longer than I would have liked it to (But not THAT long.) I've never been one for major original characters, but I went ahead and made one. I'm sorry that this chapter took a turn towards the horrific, but I felt like doing it, hope nobody minds too much. Also, I know you're going to say I killed another character, but, please, don't jump to conclusions. :D_

**Demons of Deltora**  
**Fallen**

Endon ran through the streets of Del, heading gradually towards the outer city gate, where there would certainly be guards, who could probably explain what was happening. Then, through the crowd, Endon spotted one whom he recognized. "Brannik!" A head turned from across the street, and he grabbed Manus' arm and pulled him forward.

They emerged from the crowd and the guard kneeled down, looking at them closely. "Prince Endon! What are you doing out here?" He paused, and his eyes widened. "By the gods, the gates are closed now, you're trapped outside of the Palace." The guards were unaware of the secret passage into the palace, and Endon couldn't tell them, since he had no idea where it was himself. "Have you met Manus?" Brannik looked at him and smiled, recognizing him as a Ralad, he extended his hand and Manus shook it.

"I'm sorry that I have no way of reaching the inside of the Palace, you're stuck until the situation resolves itself." Endon blinked. "Wait, what situation?" But before Brannik could say anything, a piercing scream cut through the air, chilling their bones. "Endon, look!" Manus grabbed his shoulder and spun him around.

A seething cloud of green smoke seemed to be rising from the palace in the distance, tendrils of living mist spiraling off in random directions. Endon paled, but Brannik was already shouting. "Prince Endon, we must find shelter now!" Endon knew all too well, and he knew he had to run. A twisting tendril of mist spun towards the area near them, hitting a man in the face, he cried out, falling to his knees as it crawled into his nose, his mouth..

Endon, transfixed in horrified awe, was pulled away by Brannik with Manus tailing behind, the city thrown up into chaos. They had lost all sense of direction, and they were plunging through the crowd, desperately seeking some place to hide from the mist. Perhaps by the straying hand of fate, or just pure luck, they found their way to the forge, bright and welcoming. "In here!" Brannik, who hadn't seen it was surprised as Endon took the reins and dragged him inside.

"How are you certain that the forge will protect us? It's open, it's unsecure, we need to get to - !" Endon gave him a warning glance, and though the guard Brannik could easily take on someone Endon's age, he was the King's son, and perhaps he knew what he was doing. "It will be okay." He looked outside the window, the sky colored green.

Manus was looking at them both in disbelief. "Why are you both so calm? What is going on? What were you talking about earlier, Endon?" But before Manus could even get out the words, Brannik interrupted him. "Okay, you both need to know." He stole a glance at Endon, unaware he already knew enough. "Ealier today, something jumped out of the pit beneath the chapel." He glanced at Endon, and he could tell he knew of his earlier failed exploration. "We don't know what, it's not the Shadow Lord. At least not yet it isn't, there's no cause for alarm.."

"Not a cause for alarm?" Endon yelled. "There's a giant big smoke thing that kills people by touching them! Any second now it could - !" Manus touched his arm, and Endon bit his lip, looking away from Brannik's silent stare. "Now, as much as I hate to admit, I would have much preferred you had walked up to another guard at that gate. But I am now charged with protecting you, and you are no less important, Manus." Manus smiled weakly. "Now, we can't stay here, no matter what you think."

Endon sniffed angrily, looking at the floor. "There's a safe house in the city. It's for royals, now, I seriously doubt that they wont open it for the public, but we need to get there, and fast." Endon nodded silently and Manus tried to look cheery. "Now, come on. If the King doesn't overcome his sickness, we will need the heirs of Deltora." Endon looked up at him, Brannik staring back with a serious look on his face.

They stepped outside, the air hung with the bitter smell of death and decay, and Endon tried to repress a shudder. There was the faint moaning of the unearthly wind that propelled the mist through the sky, and the occasional scream or shout of the mist taking a victim, but otherwise, the city was now deathly silent, the sounds of chaos gone. They set off into the city, the silence weighing heavily on their shoulders.

It was unnatural, the city had been a screaming tumult of terror just minutes ago. How many were left? Could the entire city already be gone? Was the Palace lost before the culling of the citizens even began, were the King, Queen, and all of their heirs..? Endon pushed the thoughts completely out of his mind, focusing only on following Brannik to wherever he wished to take them, for it was all he could do.

Brannik turned a corner and cried out. "Good god!" He turned away from Endon and Manus and heaved on the ground, stumbling against the wall. "They're all – all of them!" Manus led the way forward, and he turned away in horror, but Endon was transfixed on the sight, unable to turn away.

Bodies, hundreds of bodies. They lay upon the ground, in mounds and waves, there was no blood, but they were covered in green veins twisting beneath their skin, their flesh stretched against their bone. They were stopped in their death throes, some stricken where they had stood, collapses in piles upon the streets. But were clearly trying to escape, laying face first against walls, marks where they had scratched desperately clearly visible.

Endon heard Manus calling his name, and he slowly turned away, clutching at his stomach, trying to hold back his nausea, he stumbled forward blindly, but Manus caught him. "We must go. There is nothing more to see here." Endon swallowed, Brannik drug his feet beneath him, and they moved forward, their backs turned to the street filled with the dead, so no one saw the small sliver of mist arching up out of the gaping mouth of a man lying in the street, as it whisked forward toward their backs. Not until it was too late, not until there was a gasp of pain and someone collapsed on to the ground.

"Manus!"

----------

Doom stood in the upmost balcony of the palace, looking past the grinning demon's head, into the city. He stood still, his hands behind his back, emotionless. He could see a thousand bodies writhing in the streets, alone. Here and there something moved or scuttled through the city, but he had no idea how many had found shelter, or reached the safe house. There were no guards upon the city gates, and he didn't know if any had survived.

There was only the grinning demon, standing motionlessly on the gates, and the swirling green mist that had overtaken the Deltoran skies. Several attempts had been made at shooting the demon down, arrows had been shot at it, some had volunteered to climb up to it, but were struck down by its noxious mist. Eventually, even Barda's bravest guards had succumbed to the fear emanating from it. No one even bothered to remove the bodies of those who had tried to attack it, and there they lay, rotting away.

Now everything was quiet, the pallid sky churning above, Doom and the demon looked in an endless stare-off, and yet it brought him no closer. It was thinking about what to do, holding them hostage. They had nowhere to go, it had absolute power. Despite what anyone else said, or the rumors surging with breakneck speed around the palace, Doom was positive this was not the Shadow Lord. This being wanted only to destroy and torture as many as it possibly could, bringing anyone or anything in his way to his knees.

But now, there were footsteps behind him, but still, Doom did not break his gaze with the creature down below. "What is it?" He said roughly, he did not want to be interrupted during his brooding for anything trivial. "Sir, it's, umm.." The man's voice broke out, and Doom turned abruptly, and the man backed up in surprise.

He was a mature guard, shaking, his eyes red, and this made Doom anxious. "_What is it?_" He hissed. Something was going on. "It's King Lief, sir. He's, he's - ." He broke off, swallowing, but Doom was bristling. "What?" But it was a rhetorical question. Rage and despair tore through Doom, a mixture of emotions he had never felt before. _No! This wasn't how it was supposed to end!_ He never lost his composure, and the guard's knees knocked together.

Doom turned back to the balcony, looking at the demon waiting below. Its eyes glowed with green fire, its maw of sharpened teeth mocking him. It had won their little contest, but worst of all, it was looking into him. He knew it knew it now, it saw it in his soul.

----------

There was a bright light, and for a moment, panic seized him. But then it focused into view and he saw an open window's light streaming down on him. "Jarred?" His eyes shot open, and his blurry vision focused. A girl with freckles and blonde hair tied back in a ponytail stood over him. "Ugh.." Jarred put a hand on his throbbing head.

"Should we go get Marilen?" Jarred turned his head, blinking, revealing a boy with neatly combed black hair grinning at him. "What's up?" Jarred groaned. "My head feels like it's going to split in two." Josef laughed. "Where's Endon?" His brother wasn't in the room anymore. "He went out into the city, Jarred."

He sat up slowly, rubbing his eyes, looking at the blonde-haired girl, Scout, Barda nad Lindal's only blonde-headed child. "Are you well enough to walk around?" Jarred dropped his feet over the side of the bed and stood up, wincing as pain shot through his head. "Eh, good enough." She smiled at him. "I can try and go out in to the city and catch up with Endon." He started to drag himself to the window, but Josef suddenly looked nervous.

"Well, actually, the gate is just - ." Scout frowned, but Jarred had already reached the window, looking out into the courtyard in disbelief. "What is that?" Scout walked up behind him. "We don't know, they just closed the gates on everybody. They won't tell us anything!" She looked over Jarred's shoulder and let out a gasp. Josef blinked. "What..? What?!" He hurried over to the window, staring out.

There stood a great green demon upon the gate, squatting silently, watching as several men with spears and swords mounted the steps of the gates in front of it. It watched them with little concern, and the first reached the walkway over the gate, sprinting towards it. It flicked out its hand and the man froze, unsure of what was happening. The rest came up behind him, shouting. But all at once, a tentacle of green smoke arched from above and wound itself between the men, their screams piercing the air.

They clutched at their throats, falling off the gate one by one and hitting the ground below. Scout let out a cry, turning away from the window and shutting her eyes. "Oh, god, what is that?" Jarred couldn't turn away, but Josef moving at his side snapped him out of it. "How much do you want to bet _that_is why they closed the gate?" Josef widened his eyes and Scout paced around. "But what is it?" She sat down on the infirmary bed, rocking back and forth, taking deep breaths. Jarred tried to smile and pat her on the shoulder.

Unfortunately, he was sure he knew what it was. Those piercing, green eyes, looking into his soul. They had been in the mist coming from the pit, and it had to be the same. There was no doubt in his mind. Josef broke the silence. "Scout, let's go find your Dad, he might know something." Jarred felt a pang of sadness, thinking of his own father on his sick bed, but he pushed the thought out of his mind. He had to brave for Scout.

"Okay, let's go." Scout got off of the bed, falling them sadly through the corridors of the palace. Jarred found that he was leading the way, and eventually that he had lost his sense of where he was going. He turned around a corner and bumped into a man, and they both toppled over each other, Scout and Josef slammed into the wall.

"Daddy!" Scout ran forward, throwing her arms around Barda as he stood up on the back of his hands. She burrowed her head in his shoulder and he stroked her hair. Jarred edged over next to Josef awkwardly, and Barda got up, pushing his daughter off of him. "You've seen it, haven't you?" There was a shakiness in his voice that wasn't characteristic of the gruff man, and Jarred found it odd he was shaken up so much.

Barda noticed Jarred, and he saw a flash of sadness in his eyes. "Jarred, I see you're awake." He paused for a moment, and Jarred felt a feeling of dread crawling up in his stomach, but Barda seemed to be hesitating. "Where's Endon?" He said monotonously, and Jarred smiled nervously. "He's locked out in the city." Then Barda stiffened, his eyes widening in horror. "Are you sure he's in the city?"

Jarred nodded slowly, not sure what he was so concerned about, but Barda swore loudly, and Scout narrowed her eyes. "The mist is in the city?" Jarred had another vivid flashback to his time in the pit, but now there was another feeling in the pit of his stomach, sending chills crawling up his spine. "Doom says there's no one left." Barda shut his eyes, as if in pain, then looked back at Jarred. "But, Lief.." He broke off.

"What?" Jarred burst out, clenching his fists so hard his nails pierced the skin. "It's, it's nothing." Barda struggled with his words, and Jarred wanted to scream at him, to know what he was keeping from him. "Just come with me." Barda said, the sternness returning to his voice, turning promptly around back into the corridor.

Jarred stood by himself for a few moments, staring in disbelief. Scout paused for a moment, looking back at him. "C'mon, Jarred, we need to follow him." She sniffed, and he locked eyes with her for a moment, and drug himself forward. But he kept shouting in his head that it couldn't be true, that Endon had been left out in the city and poisoned by the creature, he was alive. He _had_ to be!

----------

Jasmine sobbed quietly, her head on her arms on Lief's body. Her left hand crossed over and clasped Lief's cold hand in her own. His chest wasn't moving, and there was nothing she could do. Marilen sat in the corner, tears streaming from her own eyes, bent over Anna with an arm over her shoulders. She was sobbing uncontrollably, and Marilen couldn't do anything to make her stop it.

Marilen couldn't imagine how she felt, and yet, several years ago, she had been in the exact same position, waiting in the Palace for the King to return, not knowing if she would be the next queen, unable to bear the thought of it being so. But now, Anna, the eldest child, would have to be crowned, at such a young age.

Barda had stood silently in the doorway, just staring at Lief, motionless, on the bed. He had said nothing nor shed any tears, but Marilen could see the sadness in his eyes, and knew that the man was whirling with emotion on the inside. "Should I go tell.. Jarred and Endon?" He said it shakily, and he straightened up, trying to resume his proud posture.

Jasmine showed no response, her shoulders heaving up and down as she cried, and Marilen looked back at Barda, wiping away her tears. "No - No, not yet." She looked slowly at Anna, trying to regain her composure. "Just, just - don't tell them yet. Let's ask Jasmine first, when she's - she's calmer." She let out a sob, taking deep breaths to try to calm herself, but she couldn't, only succeeding in forcing even more tears out of her eyes. Barda nodded slowly. "I'll be back. Later, then." His voice wavered, and he hurried away. Marilen looked down at Anna, stroking her hair as she bawled. She couldn't blame Barda, even in despair, he tried to keep up a tough exterior, and must have wanted to grieve alone. But Jasmine, after all this she couldn't imagine what she was feeling.

She lay there with her head in her arms, and Marilen closed her own eyes, looking away. But Jasmine's own mind was whirling with uncontrollable thoughts. She cursed the world, why would they do this to her? _WHY?!_ It wasn't Lief's time to go, it couldn't be, after all this. He'd saved Deltora too many times, he couldn't die from this. Not now, it was too soon. And then her thoughts turned to the demon.

It was all its fault. He was sent by the Shadow Lord. She would destroy it, she had to. The Shadow Lord would be next, he needed to be taken care of. He couldn't be forgiven for this, never, never.. Jasmine raised her head, looking at the emotionless face of Lief, emotionless, his eyes had been closed by Barda, and he looked so peaceful it almost made jasmine scream. Yet, the color had yet to drain from his face, and she still made herself look away.

Jasmine's eyes were drawn to the Belt around his waist, she had drawn back the covers in her depression, revealing the opal, reflecting its many colors. She sobbed again, closing her eyes and trying to calm herself. But it was impossible, her thoughts were racing, and her heart threatening to explode from her chest. It just make sense, she couldn't imagine life without Lief, ever since she had first seen him, helpless, on the forest floor of the Forests of Silence, they had always been together. It couldn't end now.

Jasmine felt her eyes again drawn to the Belt, and she reached under the covers absentmindedly, searching for the amethyst, the gem that calms and soothes. It seemed as if that could be the only thing that could clear her head and calm her down. Her head close to Lief as she leaned forward, she could smell his smell. It had no description of his own, but it was like a fingerprint, the smell that identified Lief as Lief.

But then, clumsily, she brushed her fingers against the opal, and before she could think a moment further, she was in a giant storm of flames. She screamed, stumbling blindly. There were the blazing ruins of some sort of giant building that she was inside of all around her. But, suddenly, she found herself falling down some steps.

Jasmine crawled forward blindly, scrabbling on the ground, her shadow dancing back and forth in the dust and grass. She was unaware of the arch above her, the giant iron doors hanging lifeless. She stood up, covering her eyes, the tears evaporating off of her face. Then, she realized what it was in horror. The Palace. It was engulfed in flame, towering above her, but its shape was clear and distinct.

Jasmine fell to her knees, screaming at the air. Then, there was an explosion from deep within the palace, and flame rushed toward her. Then, suddenly, she was back in Lief's sick room, thrashing about in all directions. Marilen had grabbed her beneath the shoulders. "Jasmine! Jasmine! What's wrong! There's nothing there!" Anna stared, teary-eyed, at her mother, shouting in a frenzy until she finally collapsed, sobbing, on to the floor.


	7. Rescue

_Just completely disregard everything I say from now on, I suck at updating, somebody please hit me with a waffle iron. I could hit myself over the head with a keyboard at this point, but, yes, like I said, I suck. One way or another though, I'm getting this mother done, even if it takes a really, really long time. I'm actually sort of in the progress of re-writing chapter three, because I'm completely unsatisfied with how I wrote it. So, keep in mind you might want to check that out at some point, too Plus, I want to make a note here about the guards, even though most of them are all really minor characters, I always thought Mrs. Rodda should have given them bigger roles. Also, remember how I said to disregard everything I say? Yeah... That's a paradox, ain't it?_

**Demons of Deltora: Plagues of Decay**

**Rescue**

_He stood on a large, raised wooden platform. Below, there is a vast crowd, staring up at him in horror. He is vaguely aware of others around him, his mother, his father, and a pale-green demon, its features cruel and slender, its eyes glowing like green fire. Something was wrong, something was horribly wrong. A loud, grating screech tore through the air, and he looked slowly up, and almost in slow motion, a terrible Ak-Baba streaked toward him, its talons aimed towards his heart. He could only stare in awe, for there was nowhere to go, stranded on the platform. The Ak-Baba descended, and tore him into a thousand beautiful pieces._

_---_

"Where are we going?" Jarred asking, following behind Barda, but Barda didn't say anything.

"Hello? I'm talking to you. Why are you quiet now? What aren't you telling us?" They were somewhere within the walls of the palace, and Barda seemed to be leading them in circles, and neither Jarred nor Scout seemed willing to say anything.

"Where are we going?" Jarred asked, and Barda stopped, rounding on them in irritation.

"With the King... incapacitated, I am in charge of your protection. Now of all times, I cannot let the royal heirs wander around by themselves, the palace is being held hostage, and it is no longer safe, _especially_ if that thing has _anything_ to do with the Shadow Lord!" Barda said, almost shouting. Jarred stared at him resentfully, but behind him, Josef and Scout's eyes both widened.

Barda turned back around, and continued down the corridor, and, finally, they seemed to meet up with a troop of guards. "Jakob, Urich, Farris, are you the only three going?" Barda asked, and they looked back and forth between one another awkwardly. "Yes, sir, everyone else is either too afraid or – or dead." One said, casting a sidelong glance at Jarred, Josef, and Scout. "What are you talking about? Where are you going?" Jarred asked, but Barda seemed to ignore him.

"That's fine, that's all we need, but those cowards who are left should know that there will be a spear up each of their hind-sides once this is taken care of. I will die for my King." The last part was whispered, and it seemed as if Jarred was the only one who heard it, and it sent a shiver down his spine.

"Father, where are you going?" Scout said, her voice shaky, listening with growing concern, Barda looked at her grimly. "We're going into the city, to look for survivors." He cast a meaningful glance at Jarred. "But, that green mist is out there?" Scout said weakly, but Barda's expression didn't change. "I want to go, too." Jarred said firmly, before Barda could say anything else. "No, you can't go, you're a royal heir." Jarred snorted.

"I'm third in line."

"You're a twin."

"Well, Endon's named after my grandfather, so he's probably got it called, anyway."

Barda laughed, shaking his head in disbelief. "I can't let you go out there, it's too dangerous. If your brother is out there, Jarred, and he is unable to be crowned, you _are_ second in line." His voice hung in the air for a moment, but Jarred didn't seem any less resolute.

"Sir, if I may comment -." Urich, one of the guards, started to interject. "Who the hell said that you could?" Barda scoffed. "Sir, we need everyone we can get, we need to go through the entire city. The safe-houses, the streets, the sewers, if there's someone alive out there, they need our help." He flinched under Barda's scrutinizing gaze, but after a tense moment, he gave way with a helpless shrug. "Fine."

"Captain Barda, can I go too?" Josef asked tentatively, and Barda looked at him dully. "Sure… Fine, what ever you want to do, but you are sticking with me at _all times._" He looked slowly towards Scout. "Scout, do you want to come too?" She could feel how much he didn't want her too, and there was no way she could go out there; she didn't want to die.

Barda nodded. "Okay, then, you should go and find your sisters, and… are all the boys off with Lindal in Broome?" Barda paused, and Scout blinked. He lost track of them all sometimes. "Yeah, Rolf, Jack, and Harper are with Mom." She nodded. "Good, then." Barda smiled warmly. "Go off, then, we'll be okay."

Scout looked at Josef, and then lingered on Jarred, who smiled back, then she nodded again and dashed back down the corridor.

Barda sighed.

"Jakob?" A blonde-headed guard stood at attention. "Do you have them?" Jakob nodded rapidly, digging into his armor and coming out with a stack of rags, one of which Barda took from his hands, then held before Jarred. "Put it on." Jarred stared at him. "Umm, where?" He asked. Barda dropped it into his hands and turned around, then took another and wrapped it over his mouth. "It's all we can do to protect ourselves from the mist."

"I don't know if that will really help much, considering…" Josef trailed off. "Well, you volunteered, now didn't you?" Barda passed out the rest off the rags and they tied them around their head over their mouths and noses, and Barda motioned for them to follow. "Where _are _we going?" Jarred said again, and Barda almost turned around and smacked him over the head with the flat of his sword.

"We're going to the chapel." Josef and Jarred glanced at each other.

"Why are we going to the chapel?" Jarred asked darkly, remembering his last visit quite vividly. "We need to get past that beast on the gate, and the only way to do that, is through the chapel." Barda said, and the other guards just shrugged, and Josef exchanged a confused glance with Jarred. Although, Barda knew, without asking, that Jarred already knew where they were going. Both Doom and Lief had made completely sure that the royal family knew how to use the secret tunnel in the chapel, and Barda must have held the guards – and Josef – in high regard to even consider revealing it.

They made their way to the chapel, stepping inside, and Barda led them across the threshold. Jarred looked at the gaping hole in the center warily, pressing the cloth tighter around his face, and followed. Barda, who bent down somewhere nearby and, with some effort, dragged a tile loose from the floor. The guards looked at each other, and Josef glanced at Jarred, but he wasn't paying attention to any of them, switching his gaze from one hole to the other.

Barda grunted, setting down the cover. Looking down into the blackness, he looked back up at his companions in the chamber. "So? Who's first?"

---

Scout made her way up the stairs. She didn't know where her sisters had gone to. They couldn't be in the city, could they? No, they were here in the palace, she was pretty sure. It felt like their family was too big to fit in the entire palace sometimes, even when someone had been gone for days, in the entire palace, they all sometimes completely forgot who was where. But Lindal had recently taken the boys to Broome and left Scout and her sisters behind – she knew that much.

There was a throng of nervous people in the main hall, too afraid to go outside, and unable to delve further into the depths of the palace, handkerchiefs pressed tightly over their lips, glancing nervously from one to another, not knowing if someone else was already sick. It sickened her. She had little doubt that she, and everyone else, would go completely insane if things kept on like this. More people would get sick, more people would die, and somebody would snap.

People were fragile, and if conditions didn't get better, they could become their own worst enemy.

Nonetheless, Scout found herself quickly avoiding the main hall herself, and felt inwardly guilty, her, the daughter of the guard captain, above them all, she couldn't risk getting sick. She couldn't imagine how Jarred must feel, his own brother, trapped outside. It seemed almost unimaginable that Endon wasn't alive, it just didn't seem like it could happen, even when she tried to think of that creature on the gate, the green smoke, rising over the gate, sweeping over the town. What if her sisters _were_ out there?

Scout shook her head, she _knew_ they weren't out there, Jarred had so much more to worry about than she did, but she had little doubt that Endon was alive, somewhere.

Scout turned down the corridor and walked into the infirmary, and stopped for a moment, hearing the quiet sound of crying, and a soothing voice above it.

"It's okay, Anna, we're here…" Scout's eyes widened, walking forward, she called out. "Sierra?" Her auburn-haired sister looked up, she was sitting on one of the beds, her arm around Anna, Jarred and Endon's sister, who was sobbing violently. "Scout?"

Sierra looked up at her, her own eyes red. Anna looked up at her, too, her face stained with tears. "What's going on?" Scout said weakly, her throat felt dry. "Scout, I -." Sierra stuttered, and Anna let out a sob. "My father's dead! He's _dead!_ Our great majesty!" Scout's eyes widened, and Sierra embraced Anna tightly. "No" Scout whispered to herself.

"He said he would never die, he said he would be there for me." Anna said hoarsely, her heard resting on Sierra's shoulder, she looked up at Scout in disbelief. "I – I can't do this! It wasn't supposed to happen like this!" She buried her head in Sierra's shoulder, who let out a sob, looking sadly at Scout, who was growing increasingly paler.

"He – he died? King Lief died?" The words slipped sourly over her tongue, but Sierra couldn't even bring herself to nod. "The King is gone, and she has to be queen now." Sierra said, her own voice low. "I can't do this! I can't do this!" Anna sobbed over and over again, muffled through Sierra's shoulder. "But – but, what about Jarred – and Endon?" Scout rasped.

Sierra looked up at her, her eyebrows falling. "They – they don't know?" Her voice faltered. "Endon's – out in the city, and Jarred's – going after him." Sierra stared at her in disbelief. "What? Endon's trapped out in the city? Why is Jarred going out there? Is he insane? His father's dead!" Sierra said, her voice rising, and Anna wailed, and Scout didn't know what to say.

"They – they didn't know." Sierra sobbed, shaking her head. "Doesn't Jarred know he's going to get himself killed? Doesn't he know that Endon -?" Sierra couldn't continue, overcome with her own emotions, she sobbed again, and Scout slid back against the wall. This couldn't be happening. Lief was the King, he couldn't be dead, he was like a second father to every single one of them. And Jarred… She had to stop him, she had to tell him, but it was too late.

Scout looked at Anna again. Her father was gone, and now, it seemed as if she was going to lose both of her brothers, and now, there was nothing Scout could do. It was all her fault, she could have told them to come back with her, now Jarred was going to die out there, and Josef, those guards, and Barda. She had just let her father go out there to writhe in the mist.

Scout looked at the two girls on the bed, crying together, and she said nothing, nothing at all, hot tears burning her face.

---

Jasmine slept fitfully on the couch, and Marilen sat nearby, watching her, and nearby, Doom leaned against the wall, staring at Lief's peaceful body. He had barely said anything since he got here, he had spoken a few comforting words to Jasmine, knelt beside Lief, and then he had moved to the spot he was in now. Marilen felt like getting up and slapping him, he should be doing _something_, this was his son-in-law, this was the man that he had fought for, all those years ago, and yet, there was nothing.

The silence was deafening, and she had to say something.

"Don't you care?" Marilen said, and instantly felt as if she shouldn't have, here voice invading the peaceful quiet, violating the sanctity of his majesty. "He's been like a son to you. Don't you feel anything?" Her voice quivered, and she wished she had just said her mouth shut. Doom looked at her dully, even though he said nothing, she could feel something different about him, an aura around him, darker than usual, even for Doom.

"Why do you think that I don't care?" Doom said simply. "Perhaps I just grieve differently than you do. No matter how many years I spend in the palace, deep in luxury, I have still seen things, done things, that I will never forget. Sometimes, you forget how to cry." His words struck Marilen deeply, and she felt even worse, even as she realized that he had just managed to turn her anger towards him right back on to herself. "Doom, even demons cry."

"Is that so?" A wry smile spread across his face. "Do you know this as a fact, Mrs. Marilen? Do the beasts of the Shifting Sands weep over the death of their young? Do the Vraal mourn for their fallen comrades? Some cannot cry, perhaps they are just so evil, so heartless, they have lost all notions of sadness, of emotion, and for some, there might just be no tears left." He shrugged.

"But, perhaps, maybe, when the Shadow Lord himself saw the Belt of Deltora whole again, all that time ago, maybe he cried on the inside. For the loss of his power, his hold over the land he had sought after for so long, ripped out of his grasp. Perhaps demons can cry, but they cannot cry over anything besides themselves." Marilen looked up at Doom thoughtfully, but he was looking at Lief, his face hidden beneath the sheets.

"Why do they still call you Doom? Why don't you want to be called by your real name?" Marilen said softly, looking away from Doom as he glanced at her, a dark expression on his face, remembering a man he had met once, a hermit in the mountains, so long ago. "Like I said, Mrs. Marilen. There are some things so horrible, you can never wash them off of your hands." Doom stood up quietly, nodding towards Marilen, then left, back into the winding corridors of the palace.

Marilen stared at the place where he had been, and sobbed, reaching for a tissue. Like everyone, Doom would grieve in his own way, she knew that well enough. Wiping her eyes and trying to regain her composure again, she didn't notice Jasmine nearby, one of her eyes open, as a single tear slid down her face.

---

Jarred stepped out into the open, after the darkness of the chapel, and the even deeper darkness of the tunnel, he was overjoyed to be back out in the open air, but that joy quickly disappeared, the thick odor of death filling the air, the clouds overhead overcast, a green miasma coiling menacingly over the city, just visible through the trees.

Barda was last grunting and pulling himself free, he spoke in a hushed voices to the three guards, who nodded, and glanced at Jarred meaningfully. "Okay, come on." Barda said softly, motioning to the guards, they formed ranks around both Jarred and Josef. "I must be the most foolish guard captain in the history of Deltora." Barda sighed to himself, looking up towards the clouds. "Jinks would be proud." He laughed, starting forward, the rest of the group followed behind him.

"You two," Barda spoke to Jarred and Josef without turning around. "You will stay with me at all times, just because I gave you permission to accompany us, doesn't mean that I am going to let you wander out here alone." Barda was bashing himself more and more every moment for letting these kids come with him, though there was no stopping Jarred from going after his brother, he wondered if he should have just made Josef stay behind. Would it have been different if they were his sons? Scout had not wanted to go, and it was too late, they were here, and the decision was made.

Farris, a short, black-haired guard with a rough beard, pushed the stone back into place, then followed the others down the small slope and into the city. However, they all instantly wished that they hadn't come. The streets were clean, it was almost as if nothing had happened, besides the exception of an overturned produce cart or a broken flower pot or broken window, but what was more horrible were the bodies. Lying, twisted in the streets, curled up in the alleys, embracing each other in the cold grasp of death.

"We shouldn't have come." Josef said, weakly, to Jarred as they walked, but Jarred averted his eyes. It didn't seem as if anything could have survived, and it looked as if they had been too late. Many of the bodies looked as if they had been decomposing for weeks, and Barda felt sick, the contents of his stomach stirring dangerously.

"There's… There's no one left in this, captain." Urich said, trying to keep his voice low, but Jarred heard it, and felt a surge of anger go through him. "We haven't looked! You said it yourself, the safe-houses, the streets, the sewers! You should know all about how clever the people of Del are, you have seen for yourself, they won't just lay down and die, and neither will my brother!" Jarred's voice echoed eerily off of the streets.

Barda looked back towards the city gates in the distance, but the creature was nowhere to be seen, hidden behind the stone. Hopefully, he had no idea that they were here. "The people of Del may be clever, but the enemy is merciless, and to its anger and envy a thousand -." Jarred laughed uproariously, and Josef looked at him nervously.

"Oh, shut up! I know it all already, I know it all by heart! You don't need to give me any stupid lectures about "the Enemy." I've read all the old stories, my father, my mother, and _you_, you were brave, and courageous, you went straight into the Shadowlands to save your people, you fought dragons, ols, you destroyed the four sisters! And now you say the "Lord of Shadows" like it's a forbidden curse! You've become so used to living in peace that _you_ have forgotten that to the Enemy's anger and envy a thousand years is like the blink of an eye!" Jarred cried, shaking his head, and everyone around him looked at him in shock.

Barda seemed to be lost for words, not quite sure what he should say, or what he could say. He looked at Josef absently, who looked helplessly back at him, but he saw something in his eyes. Barda blinked, turning away from all of them.

Was he right? He didn't know what to think. The Shadow Lord had been gone so long, had they become too used to it? The thought bewildered him for a moment, and he couldn't quite comprehend it. Could the young ones see something that he couldn't? Wistfully, Barda remembered two other younglings that he had taken charge of, many years ago.

But Barda was even more startled by the man who suddenly appeared in the street in front of him. No one else even noticed him at first, and Barda had no idea where he had come from. He reached slowly for his sword without really thinking. The man gaped back at him, even more astonished.

"Help has come! The King has sent someone to rescue us!" He shouted, turning and running back down the alley. Barda's eyes widened, and the guards, Jarred, and Josef, spun around in amazement.

"What did he just say?" Barda looked back at Jarred, his expression unchanging, but then, in his eyes, he saw hope in his eyes. Hopefully, it wasn't false.


End file.
